A battered campaign poster for Presidential hopeful, Morgan Tsvangirai, in an election that left the opposition bruised and disempowered

‘It’s a paralyzing election result to every one, the future is bleak. They will continue to fill their bellies, while we suffers.’ [Old man, Lupane]

‘I am glad that ZANU PF has won – they have promised us that we can own factories now, so I am waiting to be given part of a factory.’ [Young man, Tsholotsho South]

The 2013 election marked the end of the five-year Inclusive Government in Zimbabwe. The result astounded many, with ZANU PF winning almost 80% of the parliamentary seats. The MDC-T immediately cried foul, citing a host of irregularities including the impact of memories of the violence of 2008, fuelled by ZANU PF threats, and the numbers of voters who were forced to make ‘assisted’ votes, effectively denying them a confidential vote. The shadowy role played by Israeli polling experts remains at the centre of debate.

This report reviews the main political events of the last five years, in particular the constitutional reform process and the continued mediation of SADC. The shift in socio-economic landscape to benefit and entrench ZANU PF is outlined as a key element in their recent election win, as they have moved to embrace and control the peri-urban areas and the informal mining sector with a combination of repressive coercion and material benefits.

The second half of the report evaluates in detail the figures from this election, highlighting: the impact of the split vote; the high numbers of voters turned away, especially in Harare; assisted voting; and the falling vote in the three Matabeleland provinces generally. The report sees a bleak future for the opposition parties, unless they restrategise in recognition of the changed electoral landscape.

It is fair to conclude that the politics of the opposition, both party and civic, that emerged in the late 1990s and continued through the first 13 years of the 2000s has...Read more

This report brings to light the discrepancies between the legal requirements around deportation of migrants and the anomalies in its practical application. It is clear from the findings that South Africa is falling short of its lofty legal standards in the manner that the various government agencies are dealing with this huge challenge. The overall picture of abuse, corruption, lack of capacity, and the neglect of the rule of law in this area is a cause of great concern.

In this matter Zimbabwe represents a particular challenge, with Zimbabweans making up the largest number of migrants in South Africa in the context of the crisis that has engulfed that country for over a decade. The hope that the SADC mediated Global Political Agreement would provide the basis for a long-term stabilization in the country is yet to be fulfilled, and South African leadership in this process remains critical.